


nimble soles

by badava



Category: Nothing Much to Do
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, M/M, dancing with the stars au, the only ones that talk, there are other characters also but those are like
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-29
Updated: 2014-11-29
Packaged: 2018-02-27 09:21:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2687507
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/badava/pseuds/badava
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Then, one day, Ursula, his agent/best friend, called him up. “Now, before you say no, this could be great for publicity and would really introduce more people to your music.” </p><p>“What?” He was a little agitated, to be honest. He had gotten her call right as the first sparks of long awaited inspiration came to him, and the interruption had blown them right out.</p><p>“Just got a call from Pop and Bop It.”</p><p>Pop and Bop It? He thought. That show where celebrities go and compete in ballroom dancing… “Wait,” He shook his head. “No, no, you’re not saying--”</p><p>“They want you on the show.”<br/>--<br/>or balthazar is asked to be on a dance competition and falls a little too hard for one of the pros</p>
            </blockquote>





	nimble soles

**Author's Note:**

> so the other night, after my friend suggested it, i decided to watch the entirety of nmtd. & thank god i did, because i'm obsessed with it!! so since i love au so much, i decided to write this. kris, if you're reading this, it's all your fault. also, i'm not even sure if you like pedrazar, so?? also, let it be noted i know nothing about new zealand so if anything about this is inaccurate, let me know
> 
> things i did while writing this that you could also do:  
> -listen to reuben's "sigh not so" on repear  
> -rewatch "one foot on sea", specifically the part where ben is all "balthazar!!" & pedro is all ":o"
> 
> hope you enjoy!!

He can’t believe Ursula talked him into this.

 

Balthazar doesn’t dance. He really, really doesn’t. His shows don’t include crazy routines with countless people behind him, backing him up. He doesn’t do flips or thrusts or anything that you could imagine someone like Katy Perry or One Direction doing. He was never that kind of performer. When he’s doing a gig, he’s either standing in one spot or sitting on a stool. Sometimes, if he’s really feeling it, he sways. But that’s about it.

 

Then, one day, Ursula, his agent/best friend, called him up. “Now, before you say no, this could be great for publicity and would really introduce more people to your music.”

 

“What?” He was a little agitated, to be honest. He had gotten her call right as the first sparks of long awaited inspiration came to him, and the interruption had blown them right out.

 

“Just got a call from Pop and Bop It.”

 

Pop and Bop It? He thought. _That show where celebrities go and compete in ballroom dancing…_ “Wait,” He shook his head. “No, no, you’re not saying--”

 

“They want you on the show.”

 

A number of excuses as to why he couldn’t compete flooded into his mind. “I have to work.”

 

“Your next tour isn’t scheduled for another year.”

 

“I have weak knees.”

 

“If countless old men can do it, so can you. Also, no you don’t.”

 

“I hate dancing.”

 

“I know, I know, but it’ll be fun!” She insisted. “You don’t even dance, not really! How could you hate it if you don’t really do it!”

 

“No. No, no, no, no.”

 

Yet, here he is, at a “company dinner”, as Ursula had referred to it as when she told him his schedule. “It’s where the other competitors and pros all meet each other. You dress up, it’s catered, and all that.”

 

While he knows that this is probably for the better, he really wishes it wasn’t, because he knows no one. He has always been shy, ever since he was younger, and making friends was never his strong suit. So being in a room full of strangers kinda freaked him out. The only person he even remotely knows is Meg, who he met earlier that morning, and who is also his partner. He was kind of clinging to her side until her boyfriend, Robbie, showed up. Now they’ve both disappeared to God knows where, and he’s alone in a room full of people he either doesn’t know at all or have only heard of either through tabloids he sees while in line at the supermarket or television, which he hardly has time for anymore.

 

He’s sitting in his seat in the banquet hall of some hotel, nursing a half-empty cup of Diet Coke and staring at the table cloth when he senses someone sit next to him. He looks up to see a vaguely familiar-looking blonde woman, who instantly looks at him and reaches out a hand.

 

“Hi, I’m Beatrice Duke.” She introduces herself as Balthazar takes her hand and shakes it. “You’re Balthazar, right? Balthazar Jones?” When he nods, she grins proudly. “I love your cover of Sigh No More. My cousin, Hero, she sent it to me a few months ago and I couldn’t stop listening to it.”

 

“Thank you,” He glances down sheepishly. “Beatrice Duke the race car driver Beatrice Duke? Didn’t you come really, really close to winning that one cup?”

 

Beatrice nods, a bitter look passing over her face. “Yep. Really, really close.”

 

Balth’s eyes widen, realizing what he had said. “No, no, I’m so sorry, I didn’t--”

 

She shakes her head, sighing. “No, it’s okay. It’s fine, I’ve totally moved on. Anyways, I would have won if it wasn’t for Benedick.”

 

Balthazar doesn’t know much about what happened, he only overheard his cellist and the stage manager talking about it a while back, so he decides to change the subject. “So, who’s your pro?”

 

“Oh, uh, Pedro.” She starts glancing around, as if looking for the mysterious dancer. “I’m not sre where he went, actually. He’s cool, though. Who’s yours?”

 

“Meg,” He glances over at the open bar, where he had last seen her; still no where to be found. “I’m not sure where she is, either, but I’m guessing it’s somewhere with her boyfriend.”

 

“Well, that’s-- oh!” She stops, raising her hand in the air. “I see him! Pedro, over here!”

 

Balthazar follows her gaze to across the ballroom, where a guy who looks about his own age looks over at Beatrice.

 

A _very_ attractive guy.

 

The guy weaves his way through the people and takes the seat on the other side of Beatrice. “Sorry, I was talking to this new pro, Verges. I’m pretty sure she could talk for days, from what I’ve gathered.” He looks over at him, and Balthazar suddenly feels a little lightheaded. “I don’t believe we’ve met.” He grins, reaching across Beatrice to offer his hand to shake. “Pedro.”

 

Take his hand, you dumbass. “Balthazar.” He manages a smile, taking Pedro’s hand and shaking it.

 

Pedro nods, grinning back. “So,” He claps his hands together. “I have been looking forward to this chicken parm all week.”

 

* * *

  


“Hey, Balthazar,” Pedro grabs Balthazar’s arm, pulling him closer to him. “Look, I know we haven’t known each other for very long, but…”

 

“Pedro--”

 

“Ssh, Balthazar…” He raises a hand, repeating his name. “Balthazar… Balthazar…” Except, as he keeps going, his voice sounds less and less like Pedro’s and more and more like--

 

“Balthazar!” Meg speaks loudly in his hear. “Wake up, Balthazar!”

 

He jolts up, breathing heavy, gathering his surroundings. He’s on the floor of the rehearsal space he and Meg had been assigned. Pedro is no where to be found. Now he remembers; he had shown up before Meg had and lied down to rest his eyes...

 

“S-sorry…” He scrubs at his eyes with the heel of his palm. “I didn’t really get that much sleep last night.” He didn’t. He couldn’t, as hard as he tried, stop thinking about his night with Pedro only hours before, and the company dinner.

 

The two had clicked instantly, over a similar affinity for pizza and music. Bea and Meg, as it turned out, were friends when they were in school, so they reconnected, which left Balthazar and Pedro to bond-- which they did. They joked, they laughed, they talked about everything under the sun, and Balthazar was left with the inability to do anything other than think about him.

 

Pedro was basically everything he looked for in a guy. Funny, outgoing, talented. Incredibly good looking. He was everything but, most likely, into guys.

 

Not that he’s really one to assume or anything, because he hadn’t actually said anything about being straight, but when does he ever fall for a guy who’s not? In all his years of living, he has only dated one guy who didn’t turn out to be “experimenting”; his name was Tony and he broke up with him after three weeks to get back with his ex-girlfriend, Cleo. Last night, even though he knew he was going to have to get up at 6 in the morning, he stayed up in bed trying to accept the fact that he will just never get to be with Pedro. Not that he even cared, not that much, because he’s only known him for, like, twelve hours? He’ll be okay. There are other dancers in the sea.

 

“It’s fine, just remember that sleep is important and all that.” Meg drops her bag next to his, sitting down to put on her shoes. “This can get really tiring.”

 

“Yeah, yeah, of course.” He runs a hand through his hair, shaking his head free of thoughts of dirty blonde, gorgeous dancers. “Sure.”

 

When she finishes putting on her shoes, she claps her hands together. “Okay, our first dances is going to be a quickst-- Pedro!”  
  


Balth freezes, staring at her with wide eyes. It takes him a moment to realize what’s happening; Pedro is standing in the doorway, a smirk on his face.

 

“Hey, you two.” He leans against the doorframe. “I’m just here to drop of this--” He holds up a familiar wallet. “Balthy, you left this on your chair last night and I thought I would bring it back.

 

 _‘Balthy’_. “Oh,” He raises his eyebrows, getting to his feet. “I didn’t even realize I left that.” He crosses over and takes the wallet, trying his best to not sound like an idiot. “Uh, thanks.”

 

“No problem,” He nods, giving a smile.

 

“Isn’t he an all around great guy?” Meg chimes in, and Pedro rolls his eyes.

 

“Shut up,” He shakes his head good-heartedly. “I’ll see you guys later. Enjoy your…?”

 

“Quickstep.” She tells him.

 

“Enjoy your quickstep. See you later, Meg.” He nods and Balthazar. “Balthazar.”

 

“Bye.” He raises his hand, giving a weak wave as Pedro shuts the door. He blinks, shaking his head.

 

“Well, that was sweet of him.” Meg cocks her head.

 

“Yeah,” He agrees, clearing his throat.

 

“Well,” She gets to her feet, starting to tie her hair up in a bun. “Let’s get started with our quickstep, then?”

 

He sighs, nodding. “Sure.”

 

Maybe moving on will be a little harder than he thought it would be.

* * *

  
  


“This season has the potential to be the best one yet. With this all-star cast and some of the best pros in the business, who knows what could happen or who could win this season?” Hero, the MC of the show, speaks into her microphone over the music and the cheers of the crowd. “This is Pop and Bop It!”

 

Balthazar stares at himself in the mirror. He’s up in the Skybox, having just watched Cora perform her dance. His makeup is done, his hair is styled, he’s in some fancy costume. The makeup artists made him look good, he has to admit, but he wants nothing more than to scrub all the creams and powders off his face and change into his jeans and blazer. This just isn’t him. This whole thing just isn’t him, and, as cool as it would be to win or whatever, he’s not so sure he could do it.

 

“Nervous?” He’s snapped out of it by Pedro approaching him from behind, starling him.

 

“Yeah,” He nods, taking in and letting out a large breathe. “A little.”

 

“Understandable.” He claps him on the back, pulling over the chair from the vanity next to Balthazar’s and sitting down in it. “I’m nervous, too, if that makes you feel any better.”

 

He looks up. “Really? Isn’t this your fifth season or something? And I thought you won last year.”

 

Pedro shrugs. “Yeah, but there’s still a lot riding on this. I won’t only be disappointing myself. I’ll be disappointing Bea, too.”

 

Balthazar nods. “I get it.” He offers a weak smile. “You’ll do well, though. You’re a pro for a reason and all that.”

 

He grins and opens his mouth as if he’s going to say something, only to be interrupted by Beatrice approaching and tapping his shoulder. “We’re up next, it’s time to go!” She’s clearly excited about dancing, something Balthazar can’t really comprehend right now. Pedro nods, getting to his feet. Just as he’s about to leave, he turns back to Balthazar.

 

“Watch us?” He asks casually, and his Balthazar’s stomach churns a little. Unable to really form any clever words, he nods in response, which makes Pedro smile as he finally gets dragged away by his partner.

  


As expected, Pedro and Bea are amazing. They end up getting the highest score of the night, nines across the board. The people to do second best, surprisingly, are Balthazar and Meg.

 

The judges, surprisingly, love their quickstep. They claim that “it’s obvious” that he “was enjoying this”. If that’s what they believe, maybe he should have become an actor instead of a musician.

 

In the end, Dogberry, the host from the popular detective show “The Watch” and his partner are the ones sent home. Apparently, their mystery-themed jazz routine isn’t enough for the judges or New Zealand. Balthazar and Meg, along with the other competitors-- mainly Pedro and Bea-- are sent along to the next week.

 

And the next one. And the next one.

 

And, believe it or not, they make it to the show before the semi-finals and Balthazar thinks he might actually be starting to not mind this. Sure, dancing still isn’t and never will be his favorite thing in the entire world, but he’s kind of started not totally hating coming in every day and practicing, or spending his Monday nights competing on live television. Plus, having Pedro around is a plus.

 

They have grown a lot closer over the past weeks. Besides Ursula, of course, he now considers Pedro one of his closest friends. He’s taken to texting him pretty regularly throughout the day, and on the weekends they sometimes hang out when they’re not busy with rehearsals. Yes, his crush-thing is still extremely, extremely present, and it probably will be for a very long time, and there has yet to be a sign that Pedo is anything but straight, but he can deal with it. Probably.

 

They had just finished a dress rehearsal the Sunday afternoon before the semi-final show and Pedro suggests they go grab something to eat while they’re changing. “There’s this new pizza place my brother told me about a while ago, they’re supposed to be really good.”

 

Of course, Balthazar agrees and they go and it’s amazing, so they eat a medium between the two of them. After, they head back to Pedro’s apartment.

 

There, the two sit on his bed. Balthazar strums his ukulele, which he has gotten into the habit of bringing to rehearsals, incase he got some free time and inspiration struck. They sit in silence, besides the music of the ukulele, Pedro listening and Balth absentmindedly playing.

 

“Is that a new song?” Pedro asks after a while. Balthazar shrugs.

 

“I don’t know,” He replies, cocking his head. “Maybe.”

 

“Well, I like it.” He sits up from his position. “Look, Balthazar--”

 

“I--” He starts at the same time, and they both stop.

“Go ahead.” Pedro says, but he shakes his head.

 

“No, no, it was nothing, I…” He shrugs again. “Just go.”

 

Pedro just looks at him for what seems like forever, and just as Balthazar’s about to ask if he’s okay, he leans over and kisses him.

 

Balthazar’s brain goes into overdrive. _Is this really happening? What the hell? He’s kissing me? Wait, kiss back, you idiot!_

He does, but it doesn’t last more than a few moments before they both pull away. Wait, isn’t he straight?

 

“So you’re…” He trails off, and Pedro reddens.

 

“Into guys?” He shrugs. “I mean… I don’t, like…”

 

Oh. “Oh.” Balthazar suddenly feels very sick. “You’re just… Experimenting, then?”

 

Pedro’s eyes widen. “No, no, I mean--”

 

“I-I should go.” Balthazar grabs his ukulele, which somehow ended up on the bed between them, and gets to his feet. “I’ll… Yeah.”

 

He doesn’t wait for Pedro to chase after him. He’s so sick of this. He thought for a split second that maybe he is into guys, too, maybe Pedro likes him like he’s been crazy over Pedro for the past two months. Maybe this would turn out okay. But he can’t handle just… Being something to try out, a short-lived fad that never really fits right. He doesn’t want to do that, he can’t do that. So he heads home and tries his best not to break down and cry in the shower. When he gets out, there’s no frantic next from Pedro, no missed calls, nothing.

 

He gets booted off the show the following night.

* * *

  


It’s been two weeks and he and Pedro stop talking after that kiss, and he hadn’t seen him in person since the night he was voted off. He still watches the show on his TV, but he uses the bathroom or gets a drink when Bea and Pedro are dancing.

 

Pedro has reached out to him once. Two texts in a row, three nights after their kiss.

 

_text: from Pedro (3:47 A.M.)_

_i’m sorry_

_text: from Pedro (3:49 A.M.)_

_i miss you_

Balthazar doesn’t reply at all. It’s not even that he’s mad at him, he’s not, but he’s just… Upset. With himself. With his feelings, with how this stupid thing is making him feel. He’s upset and he’s tired and he’s done.

 

But the finales are coming and, not surprisingly, Pedro and Bea make it, along with Verges and Claudio, the heartthrob from some teen show. As usual, Balthazar, along with all the other people who have been voted off, are invited back. While he would rather not go at all, Ursula tells him that he must; not doing so may end him up with a drama-queen reputation.

 

The night of the finale, Balthazar is dressed up and anxious. He sits next to Benedick, the guy Bea seemed to talk about all the time and either hate or love, he could never really tell.

 

“You’re here for Beatrice?” Balthazar asks, and Benedick takes a moment to ponder the question.

 

“Yeah,” He nods after a while. “I guess I am.”

 

The time comes and Claudio and Verges perform their dance, a Viennese Waltz. It’s extraordinary, they’re in the finale for a reason, and get tens across the board.

 

Next comes Pedro and Beatrice.

 

Hero announces that they’ll be doing an Argentine Tango. As the music starts, so does the couple.

 

Beatrice is spectacular. He can remember how, although she was good, she was obviously holding back in the beginning, a little nervous. But now; she is confident and graceful and beautiful. Balthazar looks over and Ben, who can’t take his eyes off of her. Finally, Balthazar gives himself permission to really watch Pedro.

 

Wow.

 

Watching him dance, watching him in his element, reminded him exactly why he fell for the dancer in the first place. He just looks so Pedro, so raw and so him, and suddenly everything comes rolling back in waves. When they met, their friendship, the kiss. Balthazar is crying before he even realizes it, and he hurriedly wipes the tears from his eyes before someone notices.

 

It’s too late, though, because Ben asks, “Are you crying, mate?” With a sheepish grin, Balth nods and Ben claps him on the back understandably. “I get it. The arts can really bring you so much emotion.”

 

Balthazar stares right at Pedro. “Yeah. He can.”

 

* * *

 

“As you know, we have two amazing partners with us today.” Hero’s voice is suspenseful, Verges and Claudio on one side and Pedro and Bea on the other. “But who will win Pop and Bop It this season? Will it be Claudio and Verges,” She gestures to them. “Or Beatrice and Pedro? The results are in…” She holds up an envelope. “... And the winners of this season of Pop and Bop It are…” Everyone is dead silent, staring at the five on the dance floor. “... Beatrice and Pedro!”

 

The crowd errupts in screams. Music blasts, confetti falls, Pedro and Beatrice look at each other and embrace tightly, both with wild grins on their faces. As they were told to do, ex-contestants flood onto the dance floor, Balthazar included. It’s insane, too many things are going on at once, but he can’t take his eyes off of Pedro.

 

“How do you guys feel?!” Hero sticks the microphone in the winner’s faces as someone hands them the huge trophy. They both hold it.

 

“Amazing!” Bea’s face is flushed and ecstatic. “This… This was one of the best experiences of my life and I’m so glad I could take part in this, the trophy aside!”

 

“What about you, Pedro? What are you gonna do now?” She brings the mic to him, and he seems to be scanning the crowd until he finally stops on someone; Balthazar.

 

“I’m gonna go fix something really quick!” With that, he lets Beatrice take the trophy, gives her a peck on the cheek, and then he’s gone, heading straight towards Balthazar.

 

It seems to take forever for him to weave through the crowd, but he finally makes it, stopping right in front of him. “I’m sorry!” He speaks over the noise.

 

Balthazar shakes his head. “No--” He starts, but he’s cut off.

 

“No, no, you were right! I wasn’t sure how I was feeling that night, that I, y’know, kissed you and all.”

 

“Pedro, we can do this in private or something--”

 

“No!” He shakes his head, glancing around at all the people who are obviously trying their best to not be listening in on their conversation. “I want to do this now. I was having feelings for you, and I wasn’t sure then, because I’ve never, like, felt like that about someone who isn’t a girl. But I’m sure right now. I’m bisexual, Balthy, and I really, really, really like you!”

 

Balthazar reddens, trying to seem as chill as he could despite the fact that he’s anything but. “Yeah?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Well,” He smiles, looking around nonchalantly. “I really like you, too.”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

Pedro grin grows even more, and he bounces on his feet a little. “Does that mean I can kiss you, then?”

 

“Sure, I gu--”

 

He’s cut off by Pedro’s lips on his, and he instantly kisses back. The world kind of drowns out around them, but he thinks he hears clapping or something. After what feels like not long enough but, according to the video later to be found all over YouTube, a while, they pull apart.

 

“So we’re cool?” Pedro talks loudly into his ear, due to the music still blasting. Balthazar.

 

“We’re cool.”

  
He’s really glad Ursula talked him into this.


End file.
